Means foe preparing ignitible



Dec. 11, 1951 v. H. TEEGEN MEANS FOR PREPARING IGNITIBLE MIXTURES FiledJune 21, 1949 A/A F/G.2. A T

FUEL

-. IIIA lGN/TABLE' MIXTURE 2 SHEETS-SHEET l INVENTOR. HERMANN TEE GEN BYlfm m 'ATTORNEK H. TEEGEN Dec. 11, 1951 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed June 21,1949 N w m n m M gm a mm mm mW W I m v FM I A M mN I l "I /ZZ// 4 T A R1 w @w F fif flh N J g? k ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 11, 1951 MEANS FOR PREPARING IGNITIBLE MIXTURES HermannTeegen, Bunde, Westphalia, Germany, assignor to Lohmann-Werke A. G.,Bielefeld, Germany, a corporation of Germany Application June 21, 1949,Serial No. 100,479

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to a method of and means for preparing anignitible mixture for internal combustion engines. The conventionalmanner to prepare and feed an ignitible mixture to an internalcombustion engine requires either a carburetor atomizing the fuel bymeans of nozzles in co-operation with an air current when the engineoperates according to the Otto principle,

or an injection pump charging fuel under high pressure into thecombustion chamber is needed when the diesel principle is applied. Bothcarburetors and injection pumps are highly complicated mechanisms whichare frequently subject to disturbances.

The invention aims therefore to provide a new method and means wherebyan ignitible mixture of air and fuel can be obtained in an extremelysimple manner and without requiring the application of high pressure inthe preparation of such mixture which, depending on the type of engine,charged with it, may be ignited either by means of a conventional sparkplug, or by selfignition due to compression, or by other suitable andconventional means.

The invention essentially consists in that air admitted into a casing isvehemently agitated therein by a movable member which also breaks upsimultaneously admitted liquid fuel into particles and thoroughly mixessuch particles with the agitated air, wherein the quantity of the fuelin proper relation to the air may be'adjusted by any suitable andconventional valving means in the path of the fuel and/or air to thecasing.

The invention also contemplates heating of the so obtained mixture onits way from the casing to its place of use in order to promote theevaporation of the liquid particles, and, if it is intended to use themixture e. g. in an engine operating according to the diesel principle,to attain self-ignition at a lower pressure than would be required witha cold mixture.

Another object of the invention is to make use of the crank rotating inthe crank case of an englne of the reciprocating typeas a means forprepar ng an ignitible air and fuel mixture.

Further objects and details of the invention will be apparent from thedescription given hereinafter and the accompanying drawings showingseveral embodiments thereof by way of example.v In the drawing Fig. 1 isa longitudinal cross-section of an embodiment of the invention appliedto an internal combustion engine of the reciprocating type,

Fig. 2 is a cross-section along line 2-2 of Fig. l,

.iE'ig. 3 is a longitudinal cross-section of another embodiment,

'Fig. 4 is a cross-section along line 4-4 of Fig. 3,

Figs. 5 and 6 are views similar to Figs. 3 and i respectively of amodification, and

Fig. 7 is a cross-section of still another embodiment.

As stated hereinbefore the method according to the invention comprisesadmitting air and a liquid fuel into a casing, vehemently agitating theair and simultaneously breaking up the liquid fuel into particlesand'mixing the'latter with the' agitated air with the aid of a memberrapidly moving within the casing. The breaking up of the liquid fuelwill be facilitated, if care is taken that the liquid fuel reaches thecasing in form of drops rather than in a continuous stream; However,this is not necessarily so, as it is more or less merely a question ofthe form and speedof the movable member which is decisive of the timerequired to break up the coherence of the liquid. In order to obtain anignitible mixture it is of course necessary that the quantity of fuel inrelation to the quantity of airis withinthe limits between which themixture will be infiammable. The method is not restricted to any par-'ticular kind or composition of liquid fuel. Gasoline, light and heavyfuel oils, and liquid fuel mixtures of various chemical composition,fluidity and viscosity can be used. In fact, I have found that all thevarious fuels I have testedand which are conventionally used in theoperation of internal combustion engines can be successfully treated bymy method. It iseven possible, as I have found in tests, to prepareignitible.

mixtures, one after the other, of very difieren liquid fuels with thesame apparatus. 1

Embodiments of apparatus for the indicate purpose will now be describedwith reference to the drawing. The apparatus is shown in connec-, tionwith two-stroke engines; however, it is to be understood that this isnot done by way of limitation but that the method and means according tomy invention may be advantageously used with other kinds of internalcombustion engines too,

Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate, in a diagrammatical form,

a two-stroke motor in general denoted by- ID towhich the apparatus ingeneral denoted byfor preparing an ignitible mixture is attached. Themotor comprises the cylinder 12 mounted onthe two-partite crankcase i3.-The'piston l4 acts via the piston rod IE on crank IS with shaft l 1journaled in bearings 18in the crankcase l3, andcontrols with its upperedge l9 an inlet port 20 and an outlet port 2| as it is conventional incertain types of two-stroke-engines.- The space22- between the piston I4and the cylinder head 23- It-is immaterial from the viewpoint of theinvention, Whether ignition is to be caused by high compression in thisengine or by'means of spark; plugs;

constitutes the combustion chamber.

The inlet socket 21 comprises two b anches M and 3|. Branch 30 servesforsthe' admission ofl air to housing 24 whereas branch 3-! is adantedifor connection to a source of liquid fuelsupply. Velving means, e. g.such as shown-inthe e nbodiment of Fig. '7 may be app ied "tocontrol'the l5 passage of air and fuel to the housing 24 in. order to adust the relative quantities. To the other: end :32 0f the -:crank shaft:l1 a. gear wheel 33 is secured from which" motor: power may be derived.andwhiclr'maybe rotated by; exterior means in order to start the motor.

The device operates in the: following manner: Whencrankshaft l1:rotates'in 1 the direction of. the-'rarrow inFi z. 2; the'toothed wheel 26 willbe taken i along; Fuel :entering; through the socketbranch 3 I eit er byg vityfeed or supnliedfbv a conventionalpump will splash on theperiphery ofrtheheel-25-where the sharp edged teeth, owinato therotation;.willbreak up the liquid'into particles; Simultaneously, theairentering the housing. 24" through socket branch' 30 will bevehemently-agitated and-an ignitible mixture oflimiid'iparticles"and-agitated :air'will be produced iirthe raticofduelto air is-kept within the limits. ofiinflammabi-lity. Whenever; then,during the reciprocation'of:piston :I tithe inlet port Zll'is omen,vquantities of :suchignitiblemixture' will pass from th ef-housing 24through" the" socket' 28, pipe 29,inletfiport?2fl'iintothetcombustionchamber where? it'may beienitedrtoadrive the motor.

7 ir-siinplificatiomof-ithe' structure and other adva'n'tagesof themeansfor preparing an isnitibl'e' mixturecan he" atta ined if the mixture isfor use inan internal combustioniengine' of the recioro'-- eatingtypewherera substantially closed crankcase is provided or the crankcasecan be closed except for: such: portsor" ducts as" will be: describedinconnection:withthe embodiment illustrated in Fi'gsi 3 and". 4.such a? case,. the crankcase c nbe usedlas the casing ain'iwhichithe tomixture will be prenaredt andfthe' crank-as themovable member causingthe :agitation' of'the air, the breaking up of the fuel andtheiintermixing: The -motor ir'r-Firs. '3 and 4"comprises thecylinder'40? divided crankcase 4-1; crank 'shait fli counter 5:; weighted 'cra nk43E crank in14'4; piston 45.: and pistonrod 46 all ir r theconventionalarranee= merit. The" crankcase space. 41 communicates? with the' cylinder space" 4 8 und'ern'eathi therpistonx whereas thespace 49 above! the'pistonloonien stitutes-athe comb'ustion chamber." No means ioreigniting' a inermixture--are=shownforthewreasonsr st'at'ediitconnectionwith' Figs: l andi2: Noris the conventional exhaust port of the"cylinder: visible in the'illustrationsnor' Figs. 31andi4. The (25cylinder is provided with an air 'in et port' 59'and' a fuel inlet'port' 'fil; both under? the control of the bottom edee5 2 of" thepiston'45'. As stated: h'ere'inbeforei the ductsfor admitting airand fueL-or atleast oneofther'n; may 'be pr0vided with 70 valvingor' other. means for-"adjusting'a thei. quan titi's adinitt'edl The-cylinderis" alsoprovided:

with- 21 groove 53 which' constitutes a ductfrom the c'omb'ined' spaces4l and" 48 to the combustion. chamber 19; and which is under the controlof:' 75

the upper piston edge 54. It is to be noticed that in the cross-sectionFig. 4, in order to avoid overcrowding of the illustration, only thecylinder 49 with fuel duct- 5|, ,groove s53-randa' bottom flange 55. hasbeen shown, whichlatterrservesfor the attachment of the cylinder to thecrankcase M.

This embodiment operates in the following manner; While the crank shaft42 rotates, air and'fuelcan enter the combined spaces 4'! and lt'throughthe inlet ports and 5|. respectively, asslong as. duringthecreciprocation of the piston, the lower edge'52=is: above theseports. The air will fill the mentioned spaces and will be agitated by,the crank andv counterweight 43. Simultaneously'the admitted fuel willsplash on the crankandxwill be broken upon into particles and thorou hlymixed with the air. In this process the variation of pressurecausedbythe-.-reciprooatingpistonisof assistance. It-is aslo helpful, if .sharpedges such as the edges 55- areprovided, although I.have obtainedsatisfying results. even if .there arev no. such edges; Now, when thepiston on .itsdownward .stroke frees, withit-s. upper. edge 541,- theupper end of the groove 53, quantities of. the mixture prepared willpass from .the 360111?" bined space 4-1, 48.to-the combustionchamberid-through the duct formed by the groove 53 and thei outer surfaceofthe-piston. The arrangement. of this duct-between the cylinder andpistoniwalls is advantageous because thesewalls are heated by thecombustion :in chamber asand therefore communicate. heat. to the mixtureduringits passage throughltheduct. As stated hereinbefore, suchheatwillaid in the-evaporating0f theliquid particles.

Thezdevice shown in' Figs. 5 and-6 -is very simi'-- lar. to that justdescribed.v It mainly differs fromthe latter in ther-arrangement-tof theinlet ports fortthe airand fuelwand ofthewduct-betweenlthe- 0 mixingspacesand then-combustion chamber; In

this case, an air oonduitjfltandar fuel conduit E l are prov-i'ded in:the upper part. of the-cylinder 62; which opens iIltOTthB cylinderspace at fi i'whereas-its outerlen'd is closed-byaxcover 65; Theport- 6iis a controlled by the dowen edgeof piston 45:

With thisiarrangement, air and fuel will-be ad-- mittedrduring :thesamelength" oftime or length of; portion of; the reciprocatingicycle;whereas in the: preceding-1y described. structure the time fOli'admitting; the: fuel is-shorter than. that for the. 8.11; The duct- 56between :they lowercylinder space ie andthe combustion chamber 494spro-- vided entirely within" the wa1l= of the cylinder E2; which; isheated: by the; combustion irrthat chamber; Its: portiilis. under thecontrol of; the

upper BdgiEi-Of the piston. It is to be noticed.

that there is a sharp edge fis at-the 'lowerend of the duct 66: Thisedge :is-provided' also for the purpose of creating eddies; i.- e'.. of:more thoroughly intermix-ing; thee. fuel: particles v with theagitated-air; In'oride-rto'showthat-the'devicet is-i applicable-toenginesi'with; an. ignitionzsystem asz well as to engines-operatingswith zselfeignitiom.

a spark plug is: indicatedsat 69.1.,

The": preparation 1 of thorough mixture of air" and fuel particles canalsobeximprove'd'by'ad ditional means. For: this purpose; the innersuriaceof the-casing {may bechromium or'nickel' plated; sandblasted;bonderized 'orqtreatedlin ran.- 0111161'11113111181'. torinfluence;tl'ies 01 'matiomof'.v films of: velyssmall liquidtparticlespintotwhichthe. fuel isibroken up as hereinbefore describedtf'andiwhich'- aretaken: along: by and; intermixed with, the

agitated, air. Another effective measure iszthe;

Both conduitst end-.in a: transverse bore t3- provision of a pluralityof sharp edged teeth on the outer periphery of the counterweight of thecrank and/or on the inner periphery of the crankcase of a motor in whichthat case is used as the casing in which the mixture is to be prepared.Such a motor is shown in Fig. 7. The

illustrated engine is of the type disclosed in-my copending applicationSerial No. 90,619, filed April 30, 1049, and in which thefuel-air-mixture is self-ignited by high compression. This motorcomprises an outer cylinder secured to the divided crankcase 1|. Withinthe cylinder a barrel '!2 being closed at 13 near its top end isslidably arranged. The piston 14 reciprocates within the barrel and isoperated by crank shaft I5, via crank iii and piston rod TI. The size ofthe combustion chamber 18 can be varied by the adjustment of thedistance of the barrel from the crank shaft axis, and such adjustmentcanbe had by means of a screw bolt 19 in the fixed cylinder head 80 as ithas been fully described in the mentioned application. The barrel space8| underneath the piston is in communication with the crankcase space82, similarly to the spaces 48 and M in Fig. 3. The barrel has an inletport 83 and an outlet port 84 of which the port 83 is controlled by thelower piston edge 85 and port 85 by the upper piston edge 86. Port 83 isin permanent communication with a transverse bore 81 of the cylinder 1!)regardless of the position of barrel 12 therein, and, for that reason issomewhat larger than bore 81. Similarly the outlet port 84 is inpermanent communication with another transverse bore 88 for the escapeof the exhaust gases. A member 89 is secured to the cylinder by meansnot shown, which member contains a conduit 90 in connection with thebore 81 and open at its other end SI for the entrance of air.Intermediate the ends a cock valve 92 with operating lever 93is providedwhereby the passage through the conduit is adjustable. A tubular piece94 of a narrower inner cross-section for connection to a source of aliquid fuel supply is slidable in a socket 95 which opens into theconduit 90. Piece 94 is provided with an outwardly projecting pin 96engaged by a forked arm 91 of the lever 93. The arrangement is such thatpiece 94 is in its topmost position when valve 92 is fully open, andwill be lowered the more valve 92 closes. Opposite socket 95, anotherinteriorly threaded socket 98 is provided in which a screw member 99 isadjustable. This member ends in a needle point I09 which projects intothe opening l8! of the piece 94, thus constituting a valve for thepassage of fuel into the conduit 90. A stop nut I (22 may be used tosecure the needle in its adjusted position. It will be clear that withthis device a very accurate adjustment of the fuel-air ratio can beattained, and that by operating lever 83 the quantities of flow of airand fuel can be simultaneously increased or reduced as may be requiredduring the operation of the engine. However, other suitable andconventional means may be applied to adjust the supply of fuel and airto the engine.

Within the crankcase H, the crank 16 has a sector-shaped counterweightH0 which, for the reason hereinbefore explained, is provided with sharpedged teeth I on its periphery. The inner periphery of the crankcase isalso provided with sharp edged teeth H2 which, however, are arrangedonly on the sides whereas the bottom portion of the crankcase is smoothin order to prevent liquid fuel from accumulating between the teeth. Apassage from the crankcase space 82 to the combustion chamber 18 is openthrough the slot or recess H3 in the barrel 12 when the upper pistonedge 86 is below the upper end of the recess. The curved shape of therecess H3 is preferred to a straight one in order to create a certaincurrent of the entering mixture in the combustion chamber as more fullyexplained in the mentioned application, and also to increase the lengthof the passage of the mixture along heated surfaces.

The device operates in a manner similar to that explained hereinbeforein connection with the embodiments shown in Figs. 3 to 6. When the motoris running air enters the combined spaces 8| and 82 through conduit 90,bore 81 and port 83 when piston edge opens the latter. Simultaneously,liquid fuel drops or flows past the needle valve 96 into the conduitfrom where it, assisted by the air current, flows on to the same spaceswhere it is splashed about and is broken up in particles by the rotatingcrank and counterweight which vehemently agitate the air and mix itthoroughly with such particles. The teeth I I l and I l 2 serve toincrease that efiect. As soon as the piston edge 86 opens the passagethrough the recess H3 quantities of the mixture will enter thecombustion chamber in a preheated condition owing to their contact withthe hot walls of the piston and the barrel. In the combustion chamberthe mixture will be compressed by the piston upon its upward stroke tothat pressure and, consequently, temperature at which selfignitionoccurs. The effect of the preheating on the evaporation of the liquidparticles on the one hand and on the lowering of the ignition pressurehas been stated hereinbefore.

In the embodiments of my invention illustrated in Figs. 3 to 7, thepreparation of the inflammable mixture takes place in the crankcasewhich communicates with the cylinder space underneath the piston. Owingto the reciprocation of the latter, the pressure in the combined spacesfluctuates. Such fluctuation or Variation of the pressure is also aidingtowards the desired result, that means the breaking up the fuel intovery fine particles and their mixture with the agitated air. Therefore,regardless whether or not a crankcase is used as what may be called themixing chamber, it is advisable to provide means whereby the pressure inthe chamber can be caused to vary during the operation. Such means maybe of any suitable and conventional kind, as for instance, a cylinder incommunication with the mixing chamber and in which a piston isreciprocated in an arrangement similar to that in an engine of the typedescribed.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many alterationsand modifications of the method and means herein described may be hadwithout departure from the spirit and essence of my invention. Forinstance the admission of fuel and air to the casing where the mixingoccurs, and/or the discharge of the mixture therefrom may be continuousrather than intermittent, or if the charging and discharging occursintermittently the ports leading to and from the casing may becontrolled by any suitable and conventional means other than the edgesof a reciprocating piston. For that reason my inven-- tion shall not belimited but by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for preparing anignitible mixture for an internal combustionengine, comprising arcasing; a: .vent .ln:the:casing sto admitiair;there-.-

to; said-casinghaving'a rough inner: surface to;

increase thewformationnf eddies of :the air; passe ing alongsaidsurfacaqa duct connected :to' said casing-to: admit liquidfuel'thereto; a. movable member'in'said casing,ta driving meansforssaid: member to move it rapidly in.saidicasinggsaid:

member, owing toits rapidmovement, beingsa means to vehemently agitatesaid air in said casing, to break up said liquid fuel,a.in particles,and? to mixrsaid i particles; thoroughly with said air,,andfanotheri'duct connected to said casing'to conduct". quantities ofsaid mixture to the. combustien chamber: of" said engine.

2;.Inian internal combustioniengine including: acrankcase, a crankrotatable thereimand a: combustion chamber, the combination of means;

for admitting; air togsaidcasameans foradmittingglieuid: fuel toasaidcase, portionsaincluded in-isaidcrank andhaving sharp edgesprotrudingginthe space-of-said case, therebyvto-increase the agitation of the air,the breaking up of the liquid; fuel into particles, and the intermixingof. said particles with theagitatedair, caused in saidcase by therotatingcrank, andla conduitriphery, and a conduit from said case-tosaidv combustion chamber: for the mixture-of. said ,air and particles ofsaid fuel producedinsaid casing by, the. rotating. crank. andcounterweight.

4., In an internal .combustion engine including a crankcase, a crank,rotatable therein, anda combustion chamber, the combination of'meansvfor admittingair to said case, means for admitting liquidfuel tosaidcase, inner sharp edged projections of said case, and aconduit from saidcase to said combustionchamber for the mixture of' said. air andparticles of said fuelproduced in said casing by said rotating crank.

5. A device'as claimed in claim 4, saidprojections being provided on thelateral portions of the inner surface of said crankcase, and the bottomportion thereof being smooth.

6. Inan: internal combustion engine includin a crankcase, a crankrotatable therein. and a:

combustion chamber, the combination of means for admittingair and liquidfuel to said crankcase at low pressure; said means including means foradjusting the quantity of fuel in relation to the quantity of airadmitted, sharp edged portions included in said crank, said crank withsaid sharp edged portions constituting a means, owingto its rotation, tobreak up said liquid fuel into particles andto mix thelatter thoroughlywith saidair, and aconduit for said mixture from said case to saidcombustion chamber, said conduit being-located between parts'of theengine walls which receiveheat from said combustion chamher.

7'. A device for preparing-an ignitible mixture:

for an internal combustion engine including a crank case, comprisinginterior roughened surfaces of. said crank case, a vent in the crankcase to admit air thereto, a ductconnected to said crank case, to'admitliquid fuel thereto, a movable member in said crank case, a drivingmeans for said member to move it rapidly in said crank case, saidmember, owing to its rapid movement,

beinga means to vehemently agitate said air in said crank case, to breakupsaid liquid fuelin particles, and to mix said particles thoroughlywith said air, a second heated; duct connected to said crank case toconductquantities of said mixture to the combustion chamber of said engine, and means for varying thevolume of said combustion chamber to apoint Where self-ignition of the mixture heated in said second ductoccurs.

HERMANN TEEGEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the;

file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 963,366 Gathmann July 5, 19101,448,167 Sweet Mar. 13, 1923 1,792,201 Treiber, Feb. 10, 1931 2,091,496Treen Aug. 31, 1937 2,185,254 Kliesrath Jan. 2, 1940. 2,434,343 BrownJan. 13, 1948

